Science At Work
Laboratory -- Autobot City Lab equipment fills this room: equipment hanging from the ceiling, sitting on the benches lining the walls, and on the table in the middle. Also on the table in the middle is a terminal connecting to the main computer of Autobot City. Assorted projects lie scattered about amongst tools and other miscellaneous objects that you can't identify. Over in the North East corner of the lab sits a large security coded vault, where all the discoveries deemed too dangerous or too sensitive for general release are stored. While to the North West corner resides one of the Lab's more recent additions. The experimental Cold Fusion Reactor that drives Metroplex's faster than light systems. A number of monitors and display readouts are connected around the reactor, technicians constantly checking the experimental device. Some people get mopey when they're handed a somewhat humiliating public defeat. Maybe hit the Bar Moon and try to drink their sulk away. In Jetfire's case it just meant getting back to work. If anything its with a new focus, having been well reminded of why he had started on this project in the first place. Many of the work tables and extra stations had been moved out to the sides of the lab to make room for the hulking form of the old siege cannon now sitting in the middle of the chamber. Panels had been removed in various places, allowing diagnostic probes and other technical analysis hardware to be inserted, cables with futuristic looking LED lights flicking along their lengths running back to various terminals, and then compiling everything up to the big holographic 'flatscreen' Jetfire was standing in front of, studying intently. The cannon itself was rather large, coming up to Jetfire's waist in rough dimensions, making it rather unwieldly to transport. "Hmmm. Interesting." But this was a technology job he wasn't going to be able to tackle all by himself! Enter CHROMEDOME! Wheeling out from under the old siege cannon on his back, the Headmaster hacker gives Jetfire a sympathetic nod.. well, as sympathetic as you can get without a mouth. "At a cautionary glance, Jetfire. It seems to be a two-fold dilemmia. First and foremost, it's control systems are archaic... even by Cybertronian proportions." What's with Chromedome and Jetfire always dealing with old tech? "Secondly, it's comparable size when compared to your rather.." the hacker trails, trying to search for the right term. Once completely out from under the cannon, Chromedome transforms. Landing to the ground with a light thud, Stylor looks up at Jetfire. "What my esteemed and rather drab partner is trying to say, Jetfire." he pauses, giving the scientist a once over again. "Is that your fat." Warpath wanders into the lab on a whim. "So hey, Jetfire, whatcha ZAM, got cooking now?" he asks, "That cannon looks like it's lit up like a GLAM, christmas tree!" He peers at the device, rubbing his faceplate. Apocryphacius works for the EDC, who work with the Autobots. So sometimes he is sent to go help out the Autobots. He doesn't actually /like/ this at all, but he tries to be polite, because he would hate to disgrace his employers. That just wouldn't do. Besides, engineering is at least his /job/ and is a nice break from being beaten senseless at the Olympics. He carries his toolkit with a pair of tentacles and a datapad with the other. Hmm, an old seige cannon! How fascinating - he has to admit that weapons engineering is one of his vices. If he just pays attention to the task at hand, maybe he can ignore all the robots about. For others, it wasn't the fact that they were defeated. For Steeljaw, even though he was defeated, the worst part of the entire ordeal was having to be given a BATH afterwards. But there was no avoiding it, as whatever he fell in within that dumpster offended even Cybertronian senses. The defeat was nothing compared to having to be scrubbed down. With WATER of all things. Steeljaw's golden hide still gleams in post bath cleanliness from his perch on one of the higher up shelves overlooking the archiac device. Luckily, he was rust treated so there's not a speck of rust on that gleaming metal. How long he's been lying there is anyone's guess, but likely since Jetfire has started work on the device once again. He leans slightly to the side, just enough to peer over the device, eyes flickering across it. "It's more like a piece of junk," He comments, one paw idly swatting at a bundle of metal coil layed out beside him. "But sure, an interesting piece of junk." Needless to say the Autobots were probably just as awkward feeling about having a Quintesson present... But the EDC did offer to send some help for the benefit of both factions, and truth be told, it looked good from a public relations standpoint as well. Support that whole notice of openness to differences. Jetfire nods a bit, unphased by Stylor's bluntness, you get use to it at this point. Particularly when it comes to his size. "Yeah. Size is the lesser of the two evils. Downsizing it isn't as hard as downsizing a capable control system. And that is why you're here." He looks up as he hears others coming in. "Diagnostics equipment, Warpath. Despite its impressive appearance this thing isn't really working. Due to its age, we're trying to reverse engineer something more applicable from it than repair it directly." He sort of shoots a look in Steeljaw's direction on the junk comment. But cats will be cats. He turns his attention back to the main display, tapping at the hologram to change it's layout a bit and zoom in on some of the readings. "You know a lot about cannons Warpath. Prehaps you have some insight from the view of the user instead of the engineer?" Dee-Kal carries an armful of boxes, coils of cable, plastic tubes, sheet metal remnants and various electrical and electronics oddments. She dumps them on a counter ready for sorting. Vaguely intrigued, the young Junkion glances over at Jetfire's little party and listens in to see what she can learn before joining them, if applicable. <> Chromedome emits, lights playing off his fender all like Kit from 'Knightrider'. Stylor rests back against the hood of the turbo-car, hands tucked behind his head. "Bah, doesn't change the fact that all this hoop-lah over a weapon is so uncool." Ignoring Stylor for now, Chromedome addresses Jetfire once again. <> he quips, before transforming back into robot mode and rushing to a bench. Warpath examines the old cannon closely. "Looks like it, BANG, has a big BOOM, when it goes off," he says, "Other than that, I'd leave it to you techie-types to make it work. Let me test it if you do get it functioning, BAM, ok?" Apocryphacius has never threatened to eat an Autobot. He can't say the same thing about them to him. And the other assorted death threats, oh yes. He inquires, "What is it about the design of the cannon that you most wish to preserve, if you desire to reverse engineer it, rather than start from scratch entirely?" Dee-Kal looks to Chrome with a degree of automatic interest; he is a Headmaster and Nebulans fascinate her. Then she refocuses. Approaching Jetfire the little Junkion presents herself calmly, then bows. "As you wish it, so I obey. Your command, Mander Jetfire." Cats will be cats, indeed. Steeljaw doesn't seem to mind the others who enter the room, instead resting his head down against one of his front paws. His tail flickers a few times from side to side, giving away the fact that he may actually be interested in the strange and old contraption. At least a little bit. "If there's one thing Warpath knows, it's a big boom alright," He agrees, tilting his head slightly to one side. "You should focus on trying to get the right output you're looking for, instead of just trying to directly copy the device smaller. But if you really want to go that route of 'shrinking' it, you should look into what they did for us casette's weapons to make them smaller but efficient." Dee-Kal returns to her counter and begins to sort out the various items in her collection, checking a few parts for more direct reuse, plunking those deemed less useful by Junkion standards into the appropriate recycle chute for Autobot reprocessing. "It was likely some sort of seige weapon, so yes Warpath, really big kabooms. Though there is going to be some loss of power regardless due to reduced size, we'd like to keep as much porportionate to that as possible," he replies, answering several of those present at once, though mainly directed towards Chromedome and Apocryphacius. "But using modern technology to put it into a smaller, more portable package. Relatively. Even half this size would be able to fit more effectively in my cargo bay if nothing else." Then turns his attention to the Junkette as she walks up. "Oh, Dee-Kal, hello there. Didn't hear you come in, but your help is certainly welcome." Jetfire turns his attention back to his main display, zooming in on a part of the cannon as more information is scanned in. "Appears to have been plasma powered, but physical projectiles." Taps at the display a bit, shifting around to remove the cutaway of the barrel and lengthen the energy chamber. "We can cut that down by using entirely plasma projections, and elongating the chamber into the muzzle itself to maintain its integerty until fired." Considers a moment, then looks to Dee-Kal again. "We'll also need some sort of secondary motor or gear assembly so the turret can be rotated. Any ideas?" Jetfire muses, adding somewhat absently as he fiddles with calculations. "I know Stylor. I'd rather a more benign project myself... but at least in the study of this weapon we can not only produce a more suitable model.. but advance our means of protecting against such weaponry as well." Dee-Kal glances up again and this time focuses on the odd-looking and decidedly old weapon. "Seems old weapons are in vogue. Septic Smokestack and his Germanic artefacts. Now this. Maybe you could smurf it on eBay after restoration..." She pulls out a datapad like contraption from her buckle-compartment and scans briefly. "You want this working? By your standards or mine?" A brief smile. "Mine are faster, but short term." Looking up from the already half-constructed control panel, Chromedome tilts his head a bit. "Shall this not be for stationary useage? Rotating a large weapon like this will be no minute task, mind you. In fact, it will be quite arduous." he notes, hands still in a flurry of movement as they snap together a make-shift control unit for the siege cannon. Afterall, it's not the looks that are important right now.. no matter how much Stylor is currently yelling the opposite, but that they serve their purpose. Once the temporary control panel is hastily constructed, Chromedome undergoes the painstaking process of going through every single sub-routine and testing for any bugs or glitches. "I do believe Jetfire is seeking a more permanent solution, Dee-Kal." "Awww," Warpath moans. He'd really like to hear big explosions. "Well, as long as you ZOWIE, can get it blowing up Decepticons, then I guess it's POW, a-ok." He stares at Dee-Kal. "E-bay? Now why would we want to do that? We wanna make it go BOOM!" Dee-Kal moves to join Chromedome. She checks her wrist pods and extrudes a couple of pods with Swiss-army style multi tools; selects a couple if likely tools and fits them over the backs of her hands. And the Junkette begins to pick at the siege cannon, as if idly at first... Apocryphacius's question goes unanswered. He still doesn't see /why/ they want to minaturise an old weapon that was meant for stationary seige usage and put it on a moveable platform. Does Jetfire intend to be bombarding buildings or something? He makes a sort of shrugging gesture with his tentacles and suggests idly, "If it uses projectiles, you could attempt to recycle some of the kinetic energy of the launch back into the power systems for an efficiency boost." Slowly, Steeljaw stretches his front legs out in front of him, causing him to stick his backside up as he stretches his back legs as well. He yawns mightily, simply getting a bit more air to his coolant system, before standings up on all fours. "Plasma... That seems overall inefficient," He muses to himself, settling back upon his haunches. "Plasma takes a lot of energy to keep active. You're better off just cutting that out, replacing it with high density electromagnets and keeping the projectiles, turn it into a siege railgun." The young Protectojunk fiddles casually, cleaning away rust and debris and obstructions; picks, blades and file tips whirring and whizzing in that automatic yet busy way Junks have when left to their own devices. "What is your intended use for this weapon, Mander Jetfire? This, or any recreation?" Jetfire laughs a bit, possibly at the Ebay comment. He's been on Earth long enough to get it, at least. "A smaller version will be less of a hassle to do so, but duely noted Stylor. It's more for correcting aim and trajectory than outright 360 motion, Chromedome. When I say 'mobile' I mean being transportable onto the battlefield. With big monsters like Scorponok lurking around, or Primus forbid they mobilize Trypticon, having a portable siege weapon will benefit us massively." He nods a bit. "I would like a more permanent answer." He pauses to give Dee-Kal a brief pat on her shoulder and a grin. "But Junkion know-how is perfect for when it comes to preliminary test builds, gives us something to work on." Pauses at Apocryphacius' suggestion. He'll take any advice seriously, even if it is from an unusual source. "Hmm. That's a possible idea as well." Shifts his attention to look down to the Quintesson. "But how do you rechannel that force back into the power system without it jamming back up in the process?" Apocryphacius points out, "Dynamic dampening, the same as is used in some hybrid vehicles for their braking systems. If the weapon is meant to be on a mobile mount, it will require something to absorb the recoil, anyway - may as well shunt that kinetic energy into something useful." He sketches out what he meants on the datapad and holds it up above his head. "A weapon's no fun without POW, a little recoil!" Warpath remarks. "Can you make more, so that I can have one and make things go BOOM?" He's still ogling the weapon and circling around it, taking in all the details. Chromedome continues to toil away, the control panel open and himself testing with some basic coding on the screen. "If you do not heed our Quintesson's idea, I'm afraid the potential recoil would be substantial enough to knock you from your flight path." the Headmaster nods at Apocryphacius. Steeljaw seems to frown a little bit. Oh, the scientists are doing their thing. And people wonder why cats often try to be in the center of things. But instead, Steeljaw remains settled on his haunches, watching the lot of them with minor curiosity. Dee-Kal pauses in her work and narrows her optics slightly. "As smurf scout and Protectojunk cadet, I must smurf my point; if this is to be used in any way against *organics*..." She resumes working, glancing to Chromedome and confiding to him. "Septic Scorponok smurfs my central core. Not just because he terrifies... but he is part smurf." She pauses in her work again. "Nebulan. If he were to tell me to *do*... I do not know. I may obey. I hope I do not find out." Dee-Kal frowns worriedly as she continues to clean up the workings of the odd weapon. "If this works out, you may get a chance to use one, Warpath. Even a powerful weapon is only as good as the soldier manning it, so experience in heavy artillery would certainly be a plus." Jetfire has to crouch aaaaaaall the way down to look at the held up datapad. "Oh, I see! And that not only redirects some of the kinetic force back into refueling the power supply, but will cut down on recoil motion of the barrel as well. That's brilliant.. ah... what was your name again?", Jetfire asks, looking slightly embarassed, as he copies the idea to his own schematics in process. Actually it was mentioned by EDC, but he wants to make sure he doesn't mangle the pronounciation. "It's only for use against Scorponok's defenses as a base, if it even comes to pass, Dee-Kal." Jetfire makes a bit of a face as he stands up again. "I'd rather deal with Zarak personally for his corruptions of machinery and science, anyways. Like locked away in a nice padded cell were he can't hurt anyone." ... Even if they -are- mean and evil, he'd rather just lock up the Nebulon halves of those pairs than worse possibilities. Maybe even without Zarak's influence some of them could be reformed?... World may never know, though. Apocryphacius gives Chromedome an odd look with one of is faces for brief moment. He is more swiftly distracted by Dee-Kal, however, who says something /most/ disturbing. The enemy has compromised her? Most worrisome. He notes, "A great deal of the Decepticons now contain organic components. Scorponok is not the only *master in their forces. Do partially-organic Pretender shells also subvert your loyalty subroutines? The renegade Thunderwing is still on the loose, after all. Do /I/ subvert your loyalty subroutines?" Quintessons are partially organic, too. He answers Jetfire mildly, "Apocryphacius, sir." Ah-poh-cree-fah-see-us. "Organics have just as much, if not more, potential for senseless destruction as robotic lifeforms." Chromedome regards Dee-Kal, still going at it with programming the weapons systems. Looking up from his work, "At a cursiory glance... I've found they simply lack the means neccesary to annihilate our race, otherwise they would have done so during Optimus Prime's time." Nodding in agreeal to Apocryphacius, "Much of what the Quintesson states is true. Our forces are faced with a new enemy to combat, whether they be traditional or revolutionary." "Well if anyone has experience in blowing junk up, BAM, it's me!" Warpath says enthusiastically. He nods at the Quintesson. "Yeah, weapons made by Humans sure don't pack the same ZOW, punch." Dee-Kal crouches down and peers at her work so far. Th original mechanisms are already pretty clear to make out by this stage and her 'master' Pak-Gor's agents and oils come into their own when she utilises a few of them from her spray guns and injects them into the ancient housing at relevant points. "I am Earth-biased, Paco-san. Cybertron is not my home. Earth and Junk are. There are no passengers on this spaceship Earth, only crew; and my intended function is... " She considers. "..unfocused at this stage. You count as EDC, Paco-san. You are of Earth." Jetfire mouths that out for a moment, then nods a bit, commiting it to memory. Coughs a little. "I doubt she meant literally," he replies, giving a glance in the direction where the Junkette is working. "Junkions just... express their notions differently." And really hard to understand ways, even when he's gotten use to working with them. "How's analyzing the control system coming, Chromedome? The smaller you can make it the better, it means more room to fit the heavier hardware and munitions." He gets to his feet again, glancing off to the side, but Steeljaw hasn't made any more snarky feline comments lately and he was starting to wonder if the cat had left. Seeing he's still there, for better or ill, he steps back over to his main holo-display and starts intergrating Apocryphacius' design idea into the overall schematics. "Note to self, once the initial version is functional, redesign a possible two-barrel version for alternate firing rounds, giving each barrel a chance to cool," he murmurs future ideas to himself. But unlike Brainstorm, stays focused on the immeadiate one at hand. "Some humans have learned how to find other ways to hinder us when possible. Like that Chumley fellow." Even if a giant billboard TRANSFORMING BLASTER LIKE A TOY was bizzare, it did work. Apocryphacius snorts and again notes very mildly, now to Warpath, "If human weapons are so /pathetic/, machine, why is it that the Decepticons keep /stealing/ them? Mind your hubris." His faces spin around slightly, as if he was shaking his hand, and he tries to remind Dee-Kal, "Nebulans may seem human, but they are less of Earth than I am. They evolved on another planet and were born and raised there." But back to the weapon, he take a look at the cooling system, wondering if the heat could also be recycled to generate power and sketching a bit on his datapad as he thinks. "Preliminary testing proves successful, I must inquire about the optional sub-routines you'd like added Jetfire. Reducing the size anymore.." Chromedome states, holding up the already small make-shift control panel. It's about double the size of a datapad. "Will limit it's central processing capability for storage and functions." he chirps, before refocusing on the task. Steeljaw is indeed still there, sitting on a shelf looking like a strange model that someone left amongst all the rest of the large scientific devices. He must have had some left over snark as a result from having to take a bath; Usually he's rather sociable. But he seems to resign himself to simply watching at the moment, tail flickering against the shelf idly with a constant 'tap tap tap'. Jetfire mmhmms, nodding a bit at the answer. "Okay, lets worry more on getting a modern design that will operate first, focus on getting what works appropriately first. We can experiment with potential downsizing farther later." He makes a few more adjustments to the holo-display, a more appropriate shape and design taking form as he manipulates the data, putting in the basics of what they have so far and leaving some of the subprocessing programs to begin running simulations through the code in the background. "In the end, it doesn't really matter what planet we are from. Cybertron, Nebulon, Earth Junk or otherwise. The Decepticons are a common enemy regardless of who or where.. and that -we- are willing to work together regardless is the one advantage we will always have." Dee-Kal picks at some more debris as the gel loosens it. "I do not know where my path will lead, Paco-san, but I do know that I will do as I can to help my friends. You are not a Quintesson; you are my friend. Apocryphacius fiddles around with the idea of a fluid cooling system, so that when the cooled fluid flows through the heated barrels to cool the cannon, the fluid will expand and thereby increase in pressure due to the volume not being allowed to change, would could then be used to push a turbine, which would generate power, sort of like a reverse of how, in jet engines, the fuel is used for cooling to heat up the fuel on the cheap and make it hotter and more likely to ignite. As he sketches, he murmurs lowly, "You may deny my species, which is, I suppose, touching, but I am starting to think that it is perhaps futile to deny what I am." Is he not thinking about a weapon of war, meant to maim, to destroy, to kill, as they speak? His individual actions are as bad as any of his kind - but the sum of said actions is pointed toward a different goal. Is that enough to justify him? He cannot say. If he were to ask, most in the room would probably say that his efforts to help create a weapon of defense instead of outright destruction certainly made a difference at least. While the beginning calculations run Jetfire rotates the display a bit, then leans over some (not that its necessary since he can see through the translucent hologram, it's a force of habit though). "Where's the best place on the construction to house the control hardware. Somewhere towards the back I presume, so it's not in immeadiate danger of being shot at." Everyone's hard at work though and doing it together, which pleases him more to see than if it actually works out... though with this many people working on it, how can it not? The little Junkion tilts her head to the many-tentacled one. Intrigued, she joins him for a moment. "Your *origins* Paco-san? Quintesson; this is a given." The young Junkette muses somewhat. "What you may have been... is not who you *are*. Quinterran, now." Dee-Kal returns to her work. "Quinterran? Is this a technical application term I wasn't aware of?" Chromedome asks Dee-Kal, in all seriousness. "Regarding the placement, I'd advise as far back from potential harm as possible. Shorting this.." the Headmaster pauses, holding up the control panel. "Would negate it's functions, quite possibly leading to an overload of epic proportions." Yes, a simple 'keep it in the back, guarded' response from the robot nerd is impossible. :( And then, abruptly, Steeljaw is gone. He was there a minute or two ago, but if anyone were to look now, the cat was just not there. But then again, it's not too hard to lose track of something so small comparatively. There's a clatter next to Jetfire's elbow after a moment, as Steeljaw appears pulling himself up on the table, walking carefully around the bits and pieces. Though it looks as though feline curiosity just got the better of him, as he just sits there somewhat out of the way, apparently just to investigate the holo display. Apocryphacius explains to Chromedome, "I /believe/ she is referring to the fact that I was decanted on Earth and am a member of the EDC, unlike my older brethren, who are your ancestral enemies. But no matter, I think I have these heat transfer calculations done, if someone could check my math?" He holds up the datapad again, now with the heat recycling system sketches. Dee-Kal works calmly and more generically, Chrome's comment unanswered. She glances up at the hologram display from her position, mild curiousity prompting her attention. "She's combined Quintesson and Terran, as he now lives on and works for Earth," Jetfire explains the clever compound term without missing a beat. "... Yesh, epic overloads would be a bad thing." Jetfire knows aaaaall about those. *achem* He quickly makes a few adjustments to the plans, moving the central power core a bit foreward in the design to allow the controls to be at the back, where the system can still be decently shielded. And then 'Poc's suggestions for kinetic redistribution can run the sides and not interfer. "It's taking shape..." He half jumps a bit at the clatter, but it's only Steeljaw. Whew. "I still want to have some amount of adjustment, so it's firing range can cover as much width as possible. Some of those big guys are surprisingly dodgy for being massive walking walls... Prehaps a rotary platform can be built into the base itself. Vents in the bottom side of the casing would blast it with air to keep it cool, as well as farther reduce recoil matters." Hands still at work typing away, Chromedome manages the briefest of glances towards Apocryphacius' datapad. "Your mathmatical equations look correct, upon first glance. However, have you also worked in the appropriate heat-sinks if the cannon's mobility is hampered? As such, I'm afraid it would result in backfiring of massive proportions." Transforming again, Stylor is able to reach into the back-end of the console panel and toggle a small switch. "Not that Jetfire isn't used to his weapons malfunctioning in such matters." he chuckles, pausing to catch his reflection in a shiny panel. Chromedome transforms into a Cybertronian Sports Car, his head becoming Stylor! "Working together to blow up, POW, Decepticons, is even better!" Warpath adds. "Fortunately for us Galvatron isn't really a BOOM, team player." Apocryphacius accepts Chromedone's check on his calculations with a, "Thank you," but reminds, "The cooling system I am suggesting does not depend on the cannon itself to be moving, but if you are suggesting that the cooling system itself should have no moving parts, I can investigate that option." He goes back to the drawing board. Dee-Kal distracts from the hologram and her gaze lowers to take in Stylor. Opportunity presenting itself, she crouches down quite comfortably and addresses the smartly armoured organic. "You are not human, true... but there are parallels. Organic studies are important for me. May I scan you for my database?" "I don't know, I hear the 'soot' look is very popular right now," Steeljaw comments in regards to the 'blowing yourself up' note. He seems to grin a little as he settles back upon his haunches, tail tapping once again against the desk. He doesn't seem to take much notice of the racial discussions going on behind them. Head tilting slightly to the side, he keeps an eye on the hologram. Then turns his head a little to eye the cannon itself. "Hm. If you're still going to turn it entirely plasma, you'll want vents on the barrels too, magnetically shielded to prevent actual plasma from venting through them." <> Chromedome replies from his altmode. Stylor is still admiring his reflection, when Steeljaw throws in his two cents. "Haha, 'soot' look. Now -that's- funny." Warpath laughs out loud. "Yeah, I know the "soot" look, BLAM, all too well. Why I remember the time my cannon backfired after someone threw a rock in it. I looked like I was in a ZIP, Bugs Bunny cartoon." "With the compiled data its quite possible to design both a full plasma and a plasma powered projectile version, and see which version proves to be the most effective." Idly he reachs over to give Steeljaw a brief rub on the top of the head if allowed. Cats, even metallic ones, like a good pet now and then right? "This is just the design stage, after all. Sometimes it'll be the actual testing before all the bugs are nailed down." He chuckles a bit. "This field involves a lot of trial and error." He clears his processor a little at Chromedome's comment, then smirks. "Look at the bright side. For as much as I blow myself up, it at least means the final specifications are less likely to blow up on someone more important in middle of a intricate battle." Jetfire can and will use himself as a test bed to save other Autobots the trouble... which is as much the problem as it is the solution, really. He blinks at Warpath. ".. And it worked? Hmmm. Wouldn't expect a mere rock to be able to jam enough of a seal to hold back a high calibre shell and the gases propelling it. We may have to look into that later, Warpath." Apocryphacius works on sketches of a revised cooling system, glad that the conversation is not longer about what he is or isn't but has instead turned to whether or not soot is fashionable. Not really his area, so he zones that out, instead paying more attention to Jetfire's deliberations. He does suggest, "A purely plasma design would be more energy intensive but would not rely on a ready ammunition supply." Hmm, Warpath has defectuve weaponry, too, sometimes? So it's not just that sneak-thief. Jetfire draws a line down the middle of his holo-display with a finger, causing it to split into two haves. One display reassembles the collected data into a projectile version, and the other into a plasma version. Rubs his chin a bit. "Both possibilities have their perks and faults.. But it also means a potential for having two different versions that can be utilized depending on the circumstances. There are some effects of ammunition that are better induced by solid or energy projectiles, after all," he muses, making small adjustments here and there. "A shell can simply smash through armor.. plasma could be tuned to be less physically disruptive, but burn through openings or into sensative hardware. Situation can be as important as the weapon itself." Even Steeljaw likes a good pet now and again. And petting a cat is supposed to be theraputic, right? For who, though. Steel stretches his neck a little, accempting the petting. Sadly, he really is about the size of a house cat to Jetfire. Maybe smaller. He watches, curious, at the display as Jetfire continues to fiddle with it. "Not only that, but you can have a wide spray setting on the plasma version, spread it out more," He notes, dropping the snark now that he's actually taken an interest. Warpath goes over to Steeljaw and strokes the tape-lion's head. "Heh, maybe it did something to the BRUM, rifling in my barrel," he says with a shrug. "One should consider the target, I suppose," Apocryphacius reasons. "One would not go spearfishing for a bear. The target is Scorponok, yes? But one should not narrow one's options overly, either. A bear-hunting rifle can still kill a man..." He finishes a second draft of a cooling system for consideration again. With Stylor's small task completed, the Headmaster transforms back into robot mode and goes about his job again. "I might also add, Jetfire. With the added weight of extra munitions, you'll either have to reduce your energon surplus or somehow deal with the extra weight." Chromedome throws in his opinion, still typing away like there's no tomorrow. The Cybertronian Sports Car transforms, Stylor changing into Chromedome's blocky head! Jetfire nods his head thoughtully, returning to his own work of making adjustments. "You're both right," he replies to Apoc and Chromedome. "All the more reason to test more than one possibility. "... Well, Scorponok was just but one possibility. There's still the holdings in Mexico and fortifications on Cybertron to consider." He pauses, frowning... "Moreso the later. I don't think I want to utilize too heavy of siege warefar around the slaves." Apocryphacius sounds wryly amuses as he says, "Weight gain is a problem shared in common by all military aircraft." Is that what he thinks of Jetfire as? A military aircraft? "Kinetic penetrators for piercing thick armour and bunker busters sound like the special of the day, then. And perhaps more appealing than the special in the mess hall..." Apparently Headmaster nebulan bio-studies are not on the cards today. Dee-Kal shrugs to herself and contents herself with the fact that she already has Powermaster and Targetrifle Nebulans scanned and logged for medical study later on. She resumes her cleaning activities instead. Jetfire makes a few more adjustments adding in the additional input from Chromedome and Apocryphacius. Looks like they've provided quite a few options and variables for him to work with, this should keep him busy for quite some time. "Hmmm. Until I've had a chance to actually make a few experimental builds and testing simulations, that may be about all for right now." He pauses to look up at the cannon itself. "... Though I still wish we had more of a clue just to -who- built this and why it got left sitting there." "Well Jetfire, a partial model is completed for the weapons system." Chromedome notes, setting the control panel he's labored at down on the work bench. "Feel free to test and notify me of any problematic errors. For now though, my Headmaster partner requires.. sustenence. While it would have behooved him to do so while I was recharging, Stylor thought it more prevalent to adjust his wardrobe." Transforming, Stylor hops onto the back turret in a reclined position. "Oh stuff it Mr. Genius, you're just jealous you can't look -this- good." And like that, the pair drive out of the facility. Dee-Kal looks up and notes that Stylor at least seems to enjoy his freedom as an entity rather than a module, unlike some of the other Headmasters. Perhaps she can inquire of him later, and perhaps gain an insight into Nebulan fashion. Jetfire shrugs a bit. Prehaps they'll unlock more of the mysteries later. With a few quick taps he shuts off the various analyzers for now, the display going dim as all the collected data and beginning design schematics are transferred to the computer in his work lab. "Thanks for the help, guys." He picks up his data pad from the table, giving Steeljaw one last pat on the head as he does so, and then strolls towards his personal workshop to start on the real fun. "Thanks for letting me take a peek at the BIG BOOM," Warpath says, "Now I gotta get my barrel re-rifled, I think. Gotta make sure that I can BLAM, hit my target properly!" He exits, headed for the repair bay. Apocryphacius having already finished his second draft of a cooling system and put it aside for review, he decides to go examine the template cannon itself, as Jetfire comments that they don't know who built it. He had foolishly assumed it was Transformer-made! Of course, Apocryphacius isn't familiar with all the alien technologies - he lives on Earth most of the time. He only knows the technology of his own people second-tentacle and Transformers from being forced to work with them, now and again.